Sucks. I have been holding out for a long time on a headless machine that is sub $500. Looks like I'll be getting a nuc.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Everything Apple Didn't Announce at Today's Event
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Sucks. I have been holding out for a long time on a headless machine that is sub $500. Looks like I'll be getting a nuc.
After the debacle of NVidia chip failures in Macbooks at the start of the 2010s (I mean, just watch Louis Rossmann YouTube videos), it's just not going to happen. Likely was a compelling reason that Apple switched to AMD as an exclusive vendor.
I did exactly this. I would happily pay a premium for a high-spec, small phone that comfortably fits in a pocket. Guess that makes me crazy these days....
I really don't get what's hard about a Mac mini, or even a Mac mini Pro, refresh. Keep the same physicals/footprint, update the processors, chipset and ports then instead of hardwiring everything in simply put 2 x NVMe and 2 x RAM slots under the round disc foot (or flip off base). What's so hard about that?!
I don't think the SE, in concept or in practice, is really dead.
- Apple no longer sells the SE at their own retail shops, but some carriers still offer them as new, strongly indicating that the SE is still being manufactured.
- Recall that the SE was first released in April - far out of phase from the "flagship" iPhones. There is a tremendous logistics advantage to spreading out releases.
- Wireless charging suggests that the SE requires a new non-metal body style, perhaps a body closer in materials to the 5C.
I was discussing this with a friend. I think we've hit the wall (FTM) on giant leaps in innovative features. What we've been seeing and will continue to see over the next few years are smaller innovations that add up over time and performance increases. To the casual observer, each new version won't seem that much different from the previous, But compare the latest with a 2-3 year old model and you'll see big differences.
The neural engine is insane under the hood upgrades. I think it's clear Apple has plans for major computing being done on mobile. I love seeing the jumps in performance because it speaks to the long term strategy.
Right, but have you taken an honest look at apple over the past 4-5 years?
-iMac: highly integrated, laptop graphics, very custom/un serviceable
-iMac Pro: basically what you're asking for without any of the upgradeability
-Macbook pro, touchbar: not found any any other device, no magic keyboard sold that has it, as a result limited 3rd party support (pointless) Oh yeah, and instead of adding TB3 or USB C like other laptop manfs. they just nuked all the other ports.
-Macbook Air: loved, budget, not touched in years
-Mac Mini: barely touched/given any attention
-Macbook: turned into an overpriced iPad running macOS with a permanent keyboard and no touchscreen. (they have the same # of ports!)
-Mac Pro: the trashcan. Strange upgradeability, weird very non-standard design. Can't innovate anymore i'm starting to think so.
-Apple watch: like the iPad, late to the game, way after other smartwatches.
-iPhone: haven't had a reason to upgrade since the 6
Everything they're making is so stylized and run through their industrial design department.. just LOOK at their actions over the years, how can you honestly say things like "They should make this Mac Pro simple and competitively priced so I can justify moving staff off of Windows PC to do heavy compute and development work." and be serious? That Apple is long gone, you are looking to the wrong company to fufill your desires. They aren't going to suddenly flip a switch and start doing things completely different, they're not "hiding" the products and designs that you'd really like and just holding out on you. It isn't even on their radar, they're not giving it a second thought. People who complain like this need to move on. I agree with you in the sense that I also want what you want, but I'm realistic enough to see that it's never going to happen and you're just preparing yourself for seasonal disappointment.
Whoever said it above was right, Apple is now a fashion company. They're all about the phones, that's Tim's thing.
Oh come on, if a very simple understanding of business and economics was a requirement for posting on these forums, they would be totally dead. Tumbleweeds everywhere.
They can screw up, but if the market wanted an updated SE, it would exist. Period, end of story.
That said, it STILL might come back at an "off peak" time in another event, but it will never be updated during the major iPhone event. It cannibalizes sales. This basic product mix is something companies can really nail down and Apple has proven they are masters at selling the right product at the right price. Who is better at it? No company is perfect, but Apple is probably the best consumer products company of all time and executes quarter after quarter after quarter. I think questioning their strategy that has worked better than any strategy in corporate history is just being a vocal minority. When the facts change, I'll question their strategy.
And yes, with my logic, the market isn't demanding updated computers as fast as you think is necessary. Laptops/desktops have a longer useful life (particularly Apple hardware) and they have updated the MacBook Pro line, substantially. Your keyboard gripe is the same tired one that is again a vocal minority. Where is your data on how many keyboards "don't work?"
Let's address the real elephants in the room of what was not announced:
- Taser-equipped iPhone.
- PowerBook G5
With the rumors of a "refreshed" MacBook Air, I'm curious if such an update could supplant both the current MBA and the low end MacBook. Doing so might create a more distinct division between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, especially if the MBP comes with the Touch Bar while the MB does not.
- Taser-equipped iPhone.
- PowerBook G5
With the rumors of a "refreshed" MacBook Air, I'm curious if such an update could supplant both the current MBA and the low end MacBook. Doing so might create a more distinct division between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro, especially if the MBP comes with the Touch Bar while the MB does not.
That would require Apple to be omniscient and infallible, neither of which is the case. They obviously do a pretty good job of anticipating what the market wants, but they are not perfect. The story is not over.
How could an updated SE cannibilize sales if the market doesn't want it?
Your claim is that whatever is on the market at any given time is exactly what customers want, and that's just absurd. I don't know if you believe that's true for all industries, all companies, or if Apple just has a remarkable ability that every other company lacks. Either way, you are incorrect.
Basically all these products are not the focus for Apple anymore. They don't make a lot of money from it and it's a waste of time to put so much effort on it. iPad Pro is in decline and iPad Mini is dead. Mac Mini, MacBook Air, iMac people would rather buy MacBook Pro it doesn't matter if they're professional. AirPower probably Apple realized that people would rather buy $10 Qi charger from Amazon than buying $129 charger. Good luck somebody might be working on it as a sideline project. The focus is iPhone, Apple Watch and Appstore that's where the money is.
Apple is embarrassed to say how many watches they sell? It's the #1 watch in the world, so...
Apple is smart to not say how many they sold or it will end up like the nonsense we deal with as investors for unit growth on iPhone. Investors will wring their hands about Apple selling 50M iPhones or 51M in a 90 day period, as if it matters. I wish they'd stop giving any unit sales data.
Your articles are simple guesses as to unit sales for iPhone and Watch. There is no way Apple sold 50M SEs in 2016....lol. Just look at ASP. No one truly knows, except Apple. Also, you assume because people bought the SE, they didn't buy another iPhone? Like the iPhone 7 or iPhone 8, for higher margins? A missed iPhone SE sale is not a switch to Android. Again, it makes sense because Apple hasn't updated it. This means those SE customers are still using their SE or have bought other iPhones in the lineup.
I don't know all the reasons for not updating the SE, but they are probably related to margins and cost of development for a niche phone.
Appeasing the budget demographic is not one of Apple's strengths.
For Apple, it's quite simply they value revenue and profit over the number of users. Otherwise, they would've taken a hit to acquire more users in that demographic. It's also going to be hard for them to compete in that spectrum due to the amount of competition compared to the higher end tiers.
Because some people would buy the SE if it existed in a new format (of course) but Apple has to ask, how many of those would also buy the iPhone Xr or the iPhone 8 or the iPhone 7? If the answer is 75%, they might not bother updating the SE because of business reasons.
[doublepost=1536851458][/doublepost]
Why should it be? Apple makes money on what they sell, so they aren't going to appease anyone by lowering margins. It's a winning strategy too. I think you're agreeing.
Really stale - I honestly have trouble watching/listening to parts of the keynote.
Tim is awful at doing them, even after all these tries at it.